LW Title Picture If/When Islam Moves Up

[JoeRowe]

If both Shavkat & Islam win their next title fights as expected, & Islam moves up to fight for WW title as Dana says he would allow, where would this leave the LW title picture? Win or lose vs Shavkat I believe Islam will retire. He'll have made plenty of money & fought all the big names he could at 155. Nothing left to gain.

Charles vs Chandler winner would probably be a lock to fight for a vacant LW title. Maybe 2 of Poirier/Gaethje/Hooker could fight for the other spot? Maybe Paddy or Moicano fights 1 of those guys or each for the other spot? Or maybe they give Max the other spot coming off a loss overall, but a win at 155 vs Gaethje?

I'd personally love to see Max vs Charles 2 for the vacant 155 title in the spring. Realistically there are a half-dozen names in play once Islam is gone.

Thoughts?

 

[HNIC215]

The UFC brings in a new "superstar" to take Islam's place...

 

[JoeRowe]

The UFC brings in a new "superstar" to take Islam's place...

His contract is up already?

 

[ryanrandy]

His contract is up already?

I believe he said something about 2 years then UFC? I could be a little blurry on that. That's all assuming he wins his DWCS fight against a journeyman Brazilian.

 

[HNIC215]

His contract is up already?

I'm not sure the details of his contract with Bellator but I don't think that really matters in this case.

I think everyone knows that Usman is fighting at Bellator until Islam leaves the UFC lightweight division.

They will oblige him if he wants to leave. Bad business could hurt them in the long run.

Bellator doesn't want to get shut off from the steady stream of fighters from that region.

That's been their plan (Father's Plan) all along.